Sandro La Monica, Francesca La Torre, Giovanni Magaro, Alessandro Passafiume

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2 Page 2 / 9 Authors: this report was drawn up by CEDR s TG Road Safety Group leader: Günter Breyer With contributions from the following countries: Country Austria Belgium Wallonia Name Günter Breyer, Eva M. Eichinger-Vill Daniel Heuchenne Belgium Flanders Armand Rouffaert Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands rway Poland Portugal Slovenia Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom Henrik Ludvigsen Reigo Ude Auli Forsberg Martine Broche, Nathalie Rolland, Pascal Chambon Stefan Matena Catherine Lerta, Anastasios Tsaglas Audur Thora Arnadottir Harry Cullen Sandro La Monica, Francesca La Torre, Giovanni Magaro, Alessandro Passafiume Ainars Morozs Gintautas Ruzgus Paul Mangen Herman Moning Richard Muskaug Robert Marszalek Paulo Marques Tomaz Pavcic Christer Rydmell Christoph Jahn David Gingell Approved and amended by: CEDR s EXECUTIVE BOARD on 12 March 2009 Addressed to: CEDR s GOVERNING BOARD on 7 May 2009 Edited and published by: CEDR s Secretariat General on 23 April 2010

3 Page 3 / 9 This report is: FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY 1 General A review of the rules and practices concerning the safe distance between two vehicles on roads was performed in 2007 and 2008 by members of CEDR s TG Road Safety. Member states were asked to answer the following questions: Is there a regulation that governs the safe distance between vehicles in your country? If so, what are the rules (e.g. leave at least 2 seconds following distance to the vehicle in front)? Have you experienced any problems enforcing these rules? This paper sums up the answers received from CEDR s member states. 2 Regulations in CEDR member states Europe As far as safe distances in tunnels are concerned, the European directive 2004/54 on minimum safety requirements for tunnels on the TERN states the following: - Road users driving personal cars should under normal conditions maintain a minimum distance from the vehicle in front of them equivalent to the distance travelled by a vehicle in two seconds, - For heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), this distance should be doubled. Austria The section 18(1) of the Road Traffic Code (Straßenverkehrsordnung, StVO) states that the driver must adjust the distance between his/her car and the car in front, so that he/she can stop even if the car in front slows down suddenly. The paragraph 99 of this code deals with sanctions; it states that the safe distance must be greater than 0.4 seconds. Another paragraph states that two HGVs must keep a minimum distance of 50 meters (regardless of the speed at which they are travelling). The 2-second rule is taught at driving schools and is also painted on the pavement (either in the form of arrows or 21, 22 ). Denmark The 2-second rule is applied. There are a few test sites where arrows have been painted on the road to persuade drivers to keep two arrows visible between the vehicles, which should correspond to the distance travelled by a vehicle in two seconds. The results of these tests have not yet been evaluated, even though some good results have been obtained in the UK using this method.

4 Page 4 / 9 Estonia The Traffic Law requires drivers to keep a sufficient distance between their cars and the car in front in order to avoid a collision if the car in front brakes suddenly or stops. The 2-second rule is used as a rule of thumb. Finland The Traffic Law requires the driver to leave enough space to be able to stop without a collision if the vehicle in front brakes or stops. Although the 2-second rule is not explicitly mentioned in the Traffic Law, it is used as a rule of thumb. Gaps of less than 1 second for vehicles without air brakes are fined, when the speed is over 60 km/h; if the gap is less than 0,25 seconds the drivers licence may be suspended for at least 1 month. Gaps of less than 1,5 second (for vehicles with air brakes) are fined when the speed is over 60 km/h, but if the gap is less than 0,35 second the drivers licence may be suspended for at least 1 month. France The Road Code says that the driver must keep a safe distance between his/her vehicle and the vehicle in front in order to avoid collision if the car in front brakes or stops. The safe distance corresponds to the distance covered by the vehicles in at least 2 seconds. Outside urban areas, drivers following vehicles weighing more than 3.5 t or measuring 7 metres in length at the same speed must stay at least 50 meters behind the vehicle in front. The required safe distance can be raised for especially risky infrastructures. It is very difficult to enforce these minimum safe distances in France. Some devices help raise driver awareness about the safe distance, e.g. arrows or other road markings painted on the road. Automated enforcement systems are being tested for simple cases. Germany The Road Traffic Act requires drivers to leave a distance that will allow them to stop if the car in front brakes. In general, lorries must keep a distance of more than 50 m on motorways at speeds of above 50 km/h. For other vehicles, no exact rule has been defined in the Road Traffic Act. However, the 2-second rule is taught as a rule of the thumb. The catalogue of administrative fines ( Bußgeldkatalog ) determines different fines according to the actual speed and distance. Fines start at 25 (speed less than 80 km/h and without endangering other road users) and can be up to 250 plus 4 penalty points plus a 3 months suspension (speed higher than 130km/h and distance [m] less than 1/10 of current speed [km/h]). Iceland There is no regulation regarding the safe distance (gap) to be maintained between two vehicles. The relevant section of the Road Traffic Law reads as follows: If vehicle B is driving behind vehicle A, the distance between the two vehicles shall be long enough to ensure that there is no risk of a rear-end crash if vehicle A should stop or slow down.

5 Page 5 / 9 Ireland The 2-second rule for safe stopping distance is in the Rules of the Road, however, this is not a legal requirement. A driver could be prosecuted for 'driving without due care and attention', which is a catch-all often used by the traffic police. Italy The Road Code states that all drivers must keep a safe distance between their vehicles and the vehicle in front, so that they can stop at the right time and avoid collision. Outside urban areas, when overtaking is forbidden for some categories of vehicles, between such vehicles a distance of at least 100 m is required. This rule does not apply for roads with 2 or more lanes in each direction. When winter maintenance is carried out by salt spreaders and snow ploughs, vehicles must proceed with extreme caution. Safe distance between such heavy duty vehicles must be at least 20 m. Vehicles in the opposite direction, if necessary, should stop to allow these vehicles to perform their task. Anyone who violates these regulations is subject to fines ranging from 36 to 148. If the same driver in the following 2 years is again found not respecting this rule, his/her driving licence is suspended from 1 to 3 months. Luxembourg The Road Code defines the minimum distances that must be maintained. corresponding markings are painted on the roads. The 2-second rule is used as a rule of thumb. The Netherlands The 2-second rule is applied. The basis of this rule is as follows: 1 second reaction time and 1 second braking time. In practice, few drivers apply this rule. Fines can be imposed if the distance between the two vehicles is less than 1 second. On a motorway, the capacity per lane is in theory about 1,800 vehicles per hour; in practice there are about 2,300 vehicles per hour per lane. rway There is a regulation sanctioning the disregard of the safe distance to the vehicle in front: A: For vehicles weighing less than 3,500 kg: A distance of between 0.00 seconds and 0.29 seconds leads to a suspension of the license for at least 6 months. A distance of between 0.30 seconds and 0.50 seconds leads to a 3-6 month suspension. B: For vehicles weighing 3,500 kg and more: A distance of between 0.00 seconds and 0.49 seconds leads to a suspension of the license for at least 6 months. A distance of between 0.50 seconds and 1.00 seconds leads to a 3-6 month suspension.

6 Page 6 / 9 Portugal Article 18 of the Road Legislation Code states that the driver of a moving vehicle should maintain sufficient distance between his/her vehicle and the vehicle in front to ensure that no accident occurs if the vehicle in front stops suddenly or reduces its speed. Switzerland By law, a driver must keep sufficient distance between his/her vehicle and the vehicle in front, taking into account that this vehicle could brake suddenly. In practice (i.e. in court), the 2-second rule or the half-speed rule (i.e. the distance in metres should be half of the actual speed in km/h) applies. The distance calculated by the half-speed rule is slightly less than the distance calculated using the 2-second rule and only applies in good weather conditions. Similar to other countries, Switzerland has problems with enforcement. Sweden The police impose a fine when the safe distance is less than 1 second. If the safe distance is less than 0.5 seconds, the driver s driving license is revoked. Enforcement problems do exist. UK There is no specific regulation for close following. However, the Highway Code Rules for safe stopping distances contains the 2-second rule. Many of the Highway Code Rules are legal requirements; the safe stopping distance is not one of them. However, if a driver is caught disregarding such a Highway Code Rule that could be considered a hazard, a driver could be prosecuted for 'driving without due care and attention', which is a catch-all often used by the traffic police.

7 Page 7 / 9 The regulations described above are summarized in the following table. Country Austria Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Iceland Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands rway Portugal Sweden Existing law or regulation (Road Traffic Code) : - Adjust distance to be able to stop if necessary - Sanction based on minimum time or distance (Traffic Law) : - Keep sufficient distance to avoid collision Traffic Law : - Adjust distance to be able to stop if necessary - Sanction according to the minimum time or distance (Road Code) : - Sufficient distance to avoid collision if car in front brakes or stops ( 4 Road Traffic Act) - Drivers must be able to stop in time if the car in front brakes - 50 m for lorries if speed > 50 km/h (Road Traffic Law) - Sufficient distance to avoid collision - The law stipulates driving with care and attention : Road Code Art Adjust distance to be able to stop if necessary and avoid collision : Road Code - Sufficient distance to avoid collision Fine is imposed if distance < 1s (Road Legislation Code) - Sufficient distance to avoid an accident if the car in front stops or reduces speed Fine is imposed if distance < 1s (law) Switzerland - Sufficient distance in case car in front brakes UK But driving with care and attention is mentioned in the law The distance of the half-speed rule corresponds to 1.8 seconds. Threshold for enforcement set by law or regulation - Gap < 0.4 s - Distance < 50 m for lorries The 2-second rule is used by police. - Gap < 1 s; distance depends on the speed - Gap < 1.5 s for lorries; distance depends on the speed - Gap < 2 s - Distance < 50 m for lorries > 3.5 t or < 7 m, in interurban areas at the same speed Quarter-speed rule Fines depend on actual speed and distance and are imposed if drivers break the quarter-speed rule. < 100 m between lorries outside urban areas < 100 m (interurban) and 50 m (urban) behind dangerous goods Time < 1s - Gap < 0.3 s (if vehicle < 3.5 t) - Gap < 0.5 s (if vehicle > 3.5 t) If <0.5s, driving licence is revoked. Comments The 2-second rule is taught in driving schools and painted on the pavement. The 2-second rule is applied. The 2-second rule is used as a rule of thumb. The 2-second rule is also used as a rule of thumb. For certain infrastructures, higher minimum safe distances can be made compulsory. Drivers should keep a distance greater than half of the speed in metres or a time gap of two seconds (both are rules of thumb, but have also been confirmed by court decisions). 2-second rule for safe stopping distance in the Rules of the Road, however, this is not a legal requirement Fines and penalties are mainly related to damages resulting from collision or casualties. The 2-second rule is taught as a matter of principle in driving schools. The 2-second rule is applied. Enforcement problems exist. In practice, the 2-second rule or the halfspeed rule is applied. 2-second rule for safe stopping distance in the highway code rule, but not a legal requirement

8 Page 8 / 9 3 Conclusions In most countries in Europe, the general rule is that each driver must keep sufficient distance between his/her vehicle and the vehicle in front in order to avoid an accident if the car in front stops suddenly or reduces speed. This rule does not always come with specific distances that must be observed, such as the required minimum distance or time between the vehicles. In those cases where minimum distances or times are provided, the figures vary greatly from country to country. The 2-second rule or the half-distance rule can be applied. Different, specific rules can be applied to heavy goods vehicles. The 2-second rule is often used as a rule of the thumb and taught at driving schools. Some devices (e.g. road markings) are used to help drivers obey the rule. Still, most countries encounter problems with enforcement.

9 Ref: CEDR report 2009/10.1 TGRoadSafety / DistancebetweenVehiclesReport La Grande Arche, Sud 19 e FR PARIS LA DEFENSE Tel.: + 33 (0) Fax: + 33 (0)